Interactive Data Sonification Project

The Sounds of Science is an interactive data sonification project using conductive paint, electronics, and music composed from research data.

Network: The density of instruments was used to represent the number of placements for computer science faculty members from various universities. The institutions with more placements had a larger density of instruments, similar to how an orchestra would require more players to fill in that many instruments. [Clauset & Larremore Labs]

Bees: The rumbling string technique, tremolo, was chosen to simulate the buzzing sound that usually accompanies bees. The volume of the lower strings represent the outdoor temperature, spiking during midday, while the volume of the higher strings represents the number of bees needed to fan the warm air away from the hive to maintain an ideal temperature inside the hive. [Peleg Lab]

Gene Repeats: Much like the FIRRE sequence, the repeating notes are essential. When removed, the other melodic lines lack a sense of direction and meander randomly, however the presence of the repeated sequence ties the music together. [Rinn Lab]

Python: To simulate the python cardiac cell excitation of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 Hz, the initial notes for each excitation were chosen at a ratio of 1:2:5 in frequency space, matching the pulsating synthesizer. The amplitude was then quantified into the harp so as to get a profile of the minimum and maximum values obtained with different excitation frequencies. [Leinwand Lab]

DNA Sequence: The DNA sequence was directly converted into MIDI notes and put on similar sounding instruments to produce a more pleasant sound in which the pattern can still be heard, as opposed to an abrasive set of synthesizers that directly portrays the data.

Tuning Pegs: Recognizable 3 note segments of the above sequence were isolated on the different instruments to represent each string.

Concept, Design & Fabrication: Lindsay Diamond
Music Composition: Logan Dougherty

Special thanks to Mary West and the Art <3 Science group